London – They have lost seven out of seven so far, but Aviva Premiership strugglers Bristol are ready to splash the cash and bring in a few South Africans to put the club back on track.
Following recent reports linking former Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer to the top job, it seems as if Bristol are also trying to lure a few top Bok players to the south-west of England.
Veteran wing Bryan Habana, who has scored 66 tries in 123 Test matches, as well as enforcer lock Eben Etzebeth have been mooted in recent days as possible recruits to rejuvenate the side. Bristol are the only club to have not won a match this season and have just two points from their seven games to be rooted to the bottom of the Premiership log.
Their big chase is for Etzebeth, who Bok coach Allister Coetzee confirmed this week will be joining an English club at the end of their November tour in the UK and Italy, but said he wasn't sure which team it was going to be.
The Bristol Post reported that Etzebeth could be paid a handsome fee of 40 000 pounds (around R665 000) per match on a short-term six-match deal in December and January that would see him face Gloucester, Worcester, Sale, Northampton, Harlequins and Leicester, which would equate to close on R4 million.
Etzebeth would return to the Stormers in South Africa after that to play in the Super Rugby competition, but his contract with the Cape franchise also ends next year, which could see him make a permanent move to Europe.
The 33-year-old Habana is coming to the end of his contract with French giants Toulon in May next year - with England wing Chris Ashton joining them - and the Daily Mail reported that there has been an “informal approach” from Bristol for Habana.
But it is believed that the 2007 World Cup winner isn't keen on a move to Bristol, while another unnamed club are also in the running to land his signature.
Meyer, who made himself unavailable to continue as the Springbok coach following a third-placed finish in the 2015 World Cup, is one of the names mentioned to replace Andy Robinson as the director of rugby after Robinson was sacked this week. - African News Agency (ANA)